Cadence Rules

A comprehensive set of Cursor rules for building on the Flow blockchain with Cadence smart contracts and FCL frontend integration.

Overview

This repository contains 6 specialized .mdc files that serve as Cursor rules to guide AI assistance during Flow development:

File	Purpose
cadence-nft-standards.mdc	NFT development standards, modular architecture patterns, security best practices
cadence-syntax-patterns.mdc	Language syntax, common pitfalls, debugging strategies, authorization patterns
flow-development-workflow.mdc	Complete development lifecycle, deployment strategies, FCL integration
flow-json.mdc	Complete flow.json & CLI guide covering configuration, deployment, and multi-network management
fcl-flow-json-integration.mdc	Frontend FCL integration with flow.json, React SDK setup, and contract imports
flow-security-best-practices.mdc	Security practices for private keys, accounts, networks, and deployments
user-preferences.mdc	Communication style and development philosophy preferences

How to Use

1. Add to Your Cursor Project

Place these .mdc files in your ./cursor/rules Flow project root directory. Cursor will automatically detect and apply these rules when providing AI assistance.

2. Development Workflow

The rules enforce this recommended development sequence:

1. Setup → Ensure flow.json and FCL config are correct
2. Emulator → Test contracts locally first
3. Frontend Integration → Test FCL interactions with emulator
4. Testnet Deployment → Deploy and validate on testnet
5. Production → Deploy to mainnet after comprehensive testing

3. Key Benefits

• Error Prevention: Proactive guidance on common Flow/Cadence pitfalls
• Standards Compliance: Enforces NonFungibleToken interface requirements
• Full-Stack Coverage: Spans from Cadence contracts to React/FCL frontend
• Documentation-First: Prioritizes official Flow documentation and patterns
• Modular Architecture: Advanced patterns for complex, evolving NFT systems
• Security-Focused: Comprehensive security practices for production deployments
• Frontend Integration: Seamless FCL setup with automated contract address resolution

Quick Reference

Common Issues These Rules Address

• ❌ Resource type syntax errors (@ vs & vs {})
• ❌ Transaction authorization mismatches
• ❌ FCL configuration network conflicts
• ❌ Contract deployment verification gaps
• ❌ Computation limit exceeded errors
• ❌ Interface compliance violations
• ❌ Private key management and security vulnerabilities
• ❌ Multi-network configuration inconsistencies
• ❌ Frontend contract address resolution failures

Development Philosophy

• Documentation-Driven: Reference official Flow docs first
• Standards Compliance: Follow established Flow/Cadence patterns
• Iterative Testing: Fix one issue at a time, test frequently
• Full-Stack Awareness: Consider contracts → transactions → FCL → UI

Advanced Features

Modular NFT Architecture

The rules include patterns for complex NFTs with:

• Dynamic trait evolution systems
• Breeding and genetic mechanics
• Lazy trait initialization
• Cross-module interactions

Gas Optimization

Comprehensive strategies for:

• Accumulative processing logic
• Computation limit management
• Efficient loop patterns
• Batch processing techniques

Getting Started

1. Clone or download these .mdc files to your Flow project
2. Use Cursor IDE for development
3. Ask questions about Flow/Cadence - the AI will reference these rules
4. Follow the enforced workflow: emulator → testnet → mainnet

The rules automatically guide AI responses to match Flow best practices and prevent common development pitfalls.